The 52nd Little League SoftballⓇ World Series, Presented by DICK’S Sporting Goods, begins Sunday, Aug. 2, live from Greenville, N.C. All 22 games are set to air across ESPN’s linear networks (ESPN, ESPN2, ABC) for the first time in the event’s history, and all matchups will also be available on the ESPN App with an applicable subscription.
Additionally, all four games on Sunday, Aug. 2 will be available to stream live on Disney+. The Little League Softball World Series will also be available on ESPN/Disney+ throughout Latin America, the Caribbean, Australia, and New Zealand, Europe and select countries in Asia during the week-long tournament. The games will also be available in Canada
For the fourth consecutive year, the Little League Softball World Series championship game will air on ABC, with coverage beginning on Sunday, Aug. 9 at 3 p.m. ET.
Once again, AUSL professional softball athletes will join the Little Leaguers in Greenville on August 5 for the annual AUSL Pro Game at the Little League Softball World Series, Presented by DICK’S Sporting Goods. The game is set to air on ESPN2 at 7 p.m. ET.
Since its move to Greenville in 2021 and expansion to 12 participating teams the following year, the LLSWS has seen continued growth. The 2025 Championship Game was the most-watched Little League softball game ever, garnering 1.44 million viewers, up 139% year-over-year.
Trusted by parents around the world, the Little League Softball program has seen an approximately 25% increase in team participation since the Girls with Game Initiative first launched in 2019. The event has seen additional international growth as well, with teams from Quebec and Japan in returning to Greenville this summer for the third and second time, respectively, in the tournament’s history. To learn more about the Little League Softball program, including how to sign up your child or start a league in your own community, visit LittleLeague.org/Softball.
On the Call
Throughout the week in Greenville, ESPN will deploy two top-tier commentator teams to bring fans the games: Matt Schick and Jenny Dalton-Hill team up to call the dayside games Sunday-Tuesday, while Courtney Lyle, Amanda Scarborough,and Michele Smith return to call the nightside games for the first four days of play. The trio is then joined by Kris Budden on Wednesday, Aug. 5 as they pair up through Championship Sunday.
Little League Softball World Series Fan Zone
ESPN will return to the LLSWS Fan Zone for the 2026 Little League Softball World Series, Presented by DICK’S Sporting Goods, offering interactive experiences for fans throughout the tournament. A life-sized ESPN tournament bracket will be on display at Stallings Stadium, serving as a central photo opportunity to celebrate team victories and tournament moments. Additional activities include the ESPN Take Back Sports photo wall, exclusive giveaways including Little League x Take Back Sports swag, and surprise meet-and-greets with participating Little Leaguers.
